Businessmen in Canada with Indian roots are being targeted by Khalistani terrorists, who are opening fire at their homes and workplaces, and sending voice notes and letters for extortion, according to Indian intelligence sources. CNN-News18 has also accessed visuals of the firing that took place recently at the premises of Nawab Motors in Brampton. The showroom is owned by an Indo-Canadian businessman.
Around 10 people of Indian origin have been targeted by these Khalistani operatives in recent weeks for extortion with threatening voice notes and letters being sent to them, said sources.
Local police have also arrested an individual for attacking a business in Toronto’s Brampton locality, they said.
Andy Dhugga, owner of the New Millennium Tire Centre in Brampton, was attacked and some arrests have also been made, sources said.
Some criminals allegedly from gangster Vicky Gounder’s group attacked Nawab Motors. Gounder was killed in an encounter a few years ago.
According to the local police, victims are contacted through various social media platforms and demands for money are made under threats of violence, which has occurred in some cases. Most of these businessmen are originally from Punjab, they said.
Multiple businesses have received the same letter, asking them to pay up in exchange for “protection from future violence”. The letter cites recent reported events in Abbotsford, British Columbia, but no connection has been established, officials said.
According to the police, these letters are being sent in large numbers to scare business houses. These areas have several vehicle showrooms owned by Indo-Canadian businessmen with roots in Punjab because of the huge popularity of flashy cars among the Punjabi-origin youths.
In the firing incidents that have taken place, the bullets went into the showrooms but due to the cases happening in the evening hours, there was no one inside.
According to government sources, these incidents are happening due to a lack of coordination between Indian and Canadian agencies. The Canadians are not taking any threats seriously, they said.
All gangsters coming to Canada are getting asylum and this is spoiling the atmosphere there in the Indian community, said the sources. These criminals are also supported by Pakistan’s spy agency ISI, they added.
This is the first time that these gangs are not only shooting videos but also circulating them on social media in such cases, said the sources.
These groups are operating from Pakistan, as well as Spain, Portugal, and other European countries which is very alarming, they added.
